The dream season for FC Dallas came to an end against Austin FC in what promises to be the beginning of one of Major League Soccer’s great rivalries in the coming years. Austin opened a two-goal lead but had to fend off a furious second-half effort by Dallas to preserve the win.
“To the fans that were there for us all season long, thank you,” FC Dallas posted on Twitter following the game. “You embraced a new era with a whole lotta change, and you pushed us every step of the way. Thank you for all the support this season and we’ll see y’all in 2023.”
FC Dallas pulled within one score late in the game on a spectacular play by Alan Velasco, the hero of last week’s double-overtime victory shootout. At the 64-minute mark and trailing 2-0, Paxton Pomykal pushed a pass into the center of the goal box to Franco Jara. Jara made a quick pass that was partially deflected by an Austin defender but not enough to prevent Velasco from chipping a shot into the back of the net.
A late opportunity at the 88-minute point saw FC Dallas defender Eulânio Ângelo Chipela Gomes “Nanu” push downfield well into the top third, then hook a ball to the back goal post. Jáder Obrian came flying in and attempted a header on the chip, hoping to go beneath the goalkeeper, Andrew Tarbell. Tarbell blocked four shots of six that were on goal in the game.
Austin FC scored its first goal on a corner kick that appeared to deflect off several players before landing at the foot of Moussa Djitté as he punched in the score. The goal was his first of the playoffs and fifth of the season.
The second score for Austin FC came from one of the game’s most dangerous forwards, Sebastián Driussi. Driussi was in competition for the Audi Golden Boot Award throughout the season, with 22 goals scored in the regular season. With the goal against Dallas at the 29-minute mark, Driussi now has three goals in the playoffs and is a leading name in the conversation for league MVP at the end of the season.
Austin FC will now travel to Southern California to face LAFC, the winners of the Supporter’s Shield, given to the team with the best regular season record. In only the second season since joining MLS competition, Austin has become a fierce competitor in the league, a feat not many expansion teams can claim.
The Verde lost 21 games in 2021 against only nine wins and 12 draws but transformed into the second-highest-placed team in the Western Conference behind LAFC.
FC Dallas has also seen a rebirth in 2022 and improved by 20 competition points over their 2021 finish. Dallas finished 2021 with a 7-12-15 and improved to 14-11-9 in 2022 under new head coach Nico Estevez and a bold set of roster moves throughout the season that promise to make 2023 another exciting season for Dallas soccer.
